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By Aviva Patz

Teachers go the extra mile for our kids every day, so they deserve our heartfelt appreciation -- if not a gold medal! This holiday, instead of handing your child's teacher another coffee mug, potted plant or scented candle, how about saying a more sincere thank you by creating a warm personal gift that only you and your child can give? Check out these simple, creative ideas for homemade gifts that any teacher would love.

Pencil Power

Brighten your teacher's day with a fanciful pencil holder. Start with a ceramic flowerpot, a coffee can, a small metal bucket or a wide-mouthed jar. Have your child layer on fabric ribbon (think: Martha Stewart) or strips of wrapping paper or magazine clippings. Place them horizontally, vertically or in a totally random fashion -- just be sure to cover the entire container, including the rim. Secure ribbons to the container with craft glue. Use Mod Podge (or watered-down Elmer's glue) if using paper. When the container is completely dry, fill it with brand-new pencils in pretty colors.

Red-letter Day

Here are just two great ways to jazz up plain note cards. Have your child decorate the top portion of each card using rubber stampers (or specialty hole punchers) with the teacher's initials or any images your child likes -- an apple, a sun, a moon, stars or hearts. Or have your child paint a colorful border: Cut a cardboard rectangle about a half inch smaller than the note card. Place it on the card to preserve the writing space and let your child paint or draw around it. Put your homemade stationery in a cellophane bag tied with a pretty ribbon and attach a handwritten note.

Taste of Home

Go beyond candy and cookies (which most teachers give away anyway) and cook up something special from your home kitchen. It could be a jar of jam or preserves (have your child decorate the label), a loaf or two of specialty bread or a dozen muffins, caramelized or spiced nuts, or apricots and pears dipped in dark chocolate. Or surprise your child's teacher with a home-cooked meal toward the end of the school day! Always provide a list of ingredients in case of allergies.

It's in the Bag

Give the teacher something she can use every day -- a personalized canvas tote bag. Decorate it with fabric paint. Your child can press paint-coated hands onto the bag, overlapping at the bottom, to create a heart shape. Or she can paint her teacher's name in a rainbow of colors. Younger kids can go wild with paint a la Jackson Pollock but give it style by having them paint only the space inside a large square or an oversized letter (the teacher's first or last initial, of course).

From the Heart

Show your child's teachers that they're valued and appreciated with a sincere note of thanks from your child. Teachers love to hear about the specific things they said or did that students found meaningful. School-aged kids can handwrite a note or poem. Younger kids can draw a picture illustrating a special moment. Put the note, poem or drawing in a picture frame for a keepsake that will be treasured for years to come.

Aviva Patzhas written for many national publications, such as Parents, Parenting, Health, Self, Redbook and Marie Claire.

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